Christmas eve will find me
by mrswerewolflautner
Summary: Inspired by the classic song, yeah know. Cause its christmas time. Including lots of cute fluff, and a mini joseph : Joe/Stella


**Christmas Eve Will Find Me**

"Mommy, when is daddy coming home?"

Stella looked down at the memories of her husband at age three. She turned on his favorite night light and laid next to him in his new "big boy bed" they had bought him right before Joe had left.

"He'll be home soon." She didn't speak more as Ryan's eyes fluttered closed. Christmas was tomorrow, and all he could think about was Joe.

Stella became pregnant at age nineteen, the summer they had spent in L.A. Her parents were less than surprised. More disappointed, followed by a long speech about how she was never going anywhere again. They assumed her and Joe were having sex, but were too confident in their work as parents and long speeches about prevention to think it would happen. They told Stella that they would support them in their decisions. It was the hardest nine months of their lives. With working to get into college, cravings, mood swings, relationship issues, and finding a place to live.

In Stella's freshman year in college, Joe proposed-in the midst of everything. She accepted, in the school parking lot. On the day before Ryan's first birthday, they were married. Bought a house a month later, and continued with everyday life.

Stella closed his door behind her ever so slowly, and walked out into the living room. The twinkling lights off the thick, husky tree made her frown. Placing a hand on the black leather couch, the diamond on her finger caught her eye. Hearing a loud cracking outside, she rushed to the window. Realizing a tree in the neighbor's yard had snapped and fell to the ground, Stella sighed. The heavy blizzard was too much for the tall tree. There were no car tracks in the snow, no footprints.

Stella's cell phone rang. She rushed to the corner table and answered on the first ring.

"Hello?" She rushed.

"Hi honey. Nothing from him yet?" Her mother's sweet and compassionate voice filled the speaker. But nothing could make her feel better right now.

"No. I've tried calling all of them, nothing." She sighed again, a tone of agony this time.

"He'll be home soon."

She rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"I've been telling myself and Ryan that all day. He's going to be crushed when he wakes up and Joes not there."

"He'll be home tonight, I promise."

"I don't think so. Tour always finds a way to keep him." She faintly smiled. "I better go. It's getting late."

"Ok sweetie. I'll see you tomorrow either way."

"Not unless the plow trucks come soon."

"Everything will turn out. I promise. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

Stella watched the tree until midnight, waiting for some kind of miracle to walk through the door. When finally giving up hope, she checked the locks – again - put the wrapped toys under the tree, and slept restlessly.

threeam.

She tossed and turned, trying to ignore the moon shining in at her. Inside she knew that it wasn't the moon, or the draft of cold air, or what little excitement for tomorrow there was inside her. One thing was keeping her awake.

She turned over to the loneliness that had been with her the past three months. The faint smell of him was always lingering throughout the house.

Stella sat up, turning the lamp on. She grabbed her phone and dialed the number, hesitating. For the twenty third time, there was no answer. Worry overwhelmed her as she reversed the process of getting comfortable.

She laid back down and dozed, until hearing a noise outside. Her eyes shot open, before the sleep over took her.

Closing the door slowly behind him, making sure to hear the click and latch. The pitch black house and the warm smell of Christmas dizzied him. Not able to find his way to the room he missed so much, he slept on the couch.

Sixthirtyam

Just as the sun broke upon the trees, Stella's sleep was awoken by Ryan jumping on the bed.

"Mommy, mommy, mommy! Wake up! Santah wuz heur!" The mattresses springs were straining.

Stella yawned and had a teenage moment. She sat up slowly, examining the three year olds hair - just like his father's in the morning.

"Daddy said he's gunna start opening presents wuth out youh." A devious smile spread across Ryan's face.

Stella shot up.

"Daddy?" She jolted from the bed and followed her son down the dim hall. "Yeah, daddy is hume!" The joy on the toddler's face was indescribable. He practically ran down the stairs, followed by Stella.

As they rounded the corner, they came face to face with the one person they'd both had longed for.

"Joe." The words flowed from her lips as they made eye contact. "How did you get home?" She said as she ran to him.

The overwhelming butterflies surged his nerves, making his hands shake.

He had played forty-three concerts, in front of thousands of people, in ten different countries, and the one thing that made him shake, was the blonde he'd known since first grade.

He closed the remaining inches between them, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Joe sighed as the mutual feeling of being with her came back. He snaked his arms around her waist.

"Well the bus couldn't get past the city, so I rode a tractor into town, and walked the rest of the way." Stella smiled up at him. That awful/beautiful smile that made his heart break and soar at the same time, and sent his nerves in a sort of organized chaos once more. The simple flash of white teeth, framed by perfect pink lips and that cute little dimple on her cheek.

"Come on!" Ryan cried from the edge of the couch. Joe kissed her, before running over to Ryan and roughing with him. His little body squealed with laughter.

A single tear ran down her face as she joined them both on the floor. Joe pulled her to his lap and hugged her body.

"I'm never leaving again." He smiled.

"Promise?" She was always unsure of his promises, since the seventh grade. When he promised he would never go out with any other girl besides her. It was a childish promise, but it still hurt. Making her feel like he didn't care.

He shook his head yes, nuzzling his nose against her neck. "Promise."

She cocked her head towards him.

He stared at her lips. Slowly moving closer, until his lips were to hers, and they were both completely unaware of Ryan yelling at the cooties that were filling the room.


End file.
